Bangkok Post Promoting Foreign House Ownership?

[thaigene2]

You've probably seen them. Glossy four page real estate ads that actually cover up the front page of the Bangkok Post.

On Friday, there was another one. This time showing all farang buyers and giving short captions of these happy homeowners basking in the luxury of their new houses in Bangkok's Sukhumvit-Srinakarin area.

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

So then, is the Bangkok Post breaking the law by allowing its advertisers to suggest otherwise? I'm sure there is some legal clause that lets the Post off the hook. But what about a newspaper code of conduct? Is there one that covers this? Should a newspaper knowingly publish adverts that encourage readers to break the law?

[Heng]

Maybe those foreigners are Thai citizens?

[The Dan Sai Kid]

You've probably seen them. Glossy four page real estate ads that actually cover up the front page of the Bangkok Post.

On Friday, there was another one. This time showing all farang buyers and giving short captions of these happy homeowners basking in the luxury of their new houses in Bangkok's Sukhumvit-Srinakarin area.

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

So then, is the Bangkok Post breaking the law by allowing its advertisers to suggest otherwise? I'm sure there is some legal clause that lets the Post off the hook. But what about a newspaper code of conduct? Is there one that covers this? Should a newspaper knowingly publish adverts that encourage readers to break the law?

I thought it was only illegal to buy land - I was not aware farang could not own property as well.

[Dragonman]

Maybe those foreigners are Thai citizens?

Or maybe foreign bank robbers who have invested their 40 million baht in Thailand.

[tominchaam]

You've probably seen them. Glossy four page real estate ads that actually cover up the front page of the Bangkok Post.

On Friday, there was another one. This time showing all farang buyers and giving short captions of these happy homeowners basking in the luxury of their new houses in Bangkok's Sukhumvit-Srinakarin area.

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

So then, is the Bangkok Post breaking the law by allowing its advertisers to suggest otherwise? I'm sure there is some legal clause that lets the Post off the hook. But what about a newspaper code of conduct? Is there one that covers this? Should a newspaper knowingly publish adverts that encourage readers to break the law?

What is the problem? Bangkok Post is a Thai newspaper in English catering for a large group of people including many entitled to own land in Thailand. I find Bangkok Post to be a good newspaper trying to cover news for Thais as well as "non-Thais". They are pretty "open" and many of my Thai friends read it as well. Do not be narrowminded.

[NordicMan]

You've probably seen them. Glossy four page real estate ads that actually cover up the front page of the Bangkok Post.

On Friday, there was another one. This time showing all farang buyers and giving short captions of these happy homeowners basking in the luxury of their new houses in Bangkok's Sukhumvit-Srinakarin area.

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

So then, is the Bangkok Post breaking the law by allowing its advertisers to suggest otherwise? I'm sure there is some legal clause that lets the Post off the hook. But what about a newspaper code of conduct? Is there one that covers this? Should a newspaper knowingly publish adverts that encourage readers to break the law?

What is the problem? Bangkok Post is a Thai newspaper in English catering for a large group of people including many entitled to own land in Thailand. I find Bangkok Post to be a good newspaper trying to cover news for Thais as well as "non-Thais". They are pretty "open" and many of my Thai friends read it as well. Do not be narrowminded.

Agree, what's the problem? I am a foreigner, my wife is Thai. Should Bangkok Post be banned from advertising houses that we could be interested in? It is quite common knowledge that Bangkok Post is read by many Thai people as well.

Bangkok Post is not widely circulated outside of Thailand, it is unlikely that some foreigner unaware of the real estate market in Thailand will pick up B.Post at a newsagent in Casablanca or Bratislava and instantly commit his life savings to buying the property.

Lastly, in case you haven't noticed, Thailand is not a heavily regulated society. There simply are not rules and laws covering every minute detail of life, and where there is, they are not always strictly enforced. People are generally happy this way. It does place some responsibility on the individual for considering his actions. If you thrive in a more regulated society, there are plenty of them, also in tropical locations (e.g. Singapore).

Best regards

NM

[Khun Jean]

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

Calling other people braindead when owning a house is perfectly legal for a foreigner sounds not so smart to say it politely.

Get your facts straight.

[DrFisher]

Foreigners can only own condos, if you buy a home and you pay a monthly fee for the land (kind of like the trailer park concept) in fact the home is yours but not the land. You may however lease the land for 30 years at a time, or buy it if you are a corporation or foundation (in the business name). I hope that clears some things up, my (Thai) wife is a real estate attorney so I’m sure this information is accurate.

[thaigene2]

Well only someone who is brain-dead or just never reads the news inside the paper would not be aware that it is ILLEGAL for a foreigner to buy and own property.

Calling other people braindead when owning a house is perfectly legal for a foreigner sounds not so smart to say it politely.

Get your facts straight.

Point taken on the 'brain-dead' remark. But I do have my facts straight Jean (as others have confirmed above).

A foreigner cannot own land (which is the same thing as property by the way - I wouldn't call a condo 'property' but no point in splitting hairs I guess). As was mentioned above, you can only lease it from a Thai owner (okay you could then build a house on the land and own the 'house' but so what).

The main point is this: The Thai Govt recently re-announced it was cracking down on foreigners who try to buy houses (with land underneath it - is there any other kind?) through the setting up of a Thai company (where the foreigner takes full control of the company and the Thais are simply 'nominees' with no capital investment).

The developers out there now know that if foreigners stop using the company method to buy property they will be in trouble. Some have announced they will stop developing/marketing in the higher price bracket developments..some have said they will now focus on low-to-mid market buyers 1.5 - 3 Million Baht (essentially middle class thais). Frankly these companies want us all to shut up about this because they hope the whole thing will die down..I'm not convinced it will this time.

Some of these developers - like the company I mentioned above - are pretending nothing has happened, and are still advertising to foreigners through those adverts that they can own their own house here. The fact is no they can't - not legally. Only a condo. As I said all the faces and photos and 'customer satisfaction' remarks were from foreigners who 'bought their houses' at this development.

So if the Bangkok Post started covering its front page with glossy adverts telling buyers of an illegal way to buy a car in thailand without paying the duty,and offereing to sell them those cars, would that be ok? Wouldn't the Customs Dept have a concern about that?

Yes, I know it's buyer beware, but my original question was to ask if this company's adverts aren't breaking the law by advocating illegal property sales to foreigners? Maybe not..but that's the question.

Heng - I've never met a foreigner with Thai nationality, though I know a few 'permanent' residents and I think they are in the same boat as the rest of us. I suppose there are some older Chinese people here who managed to get citizenship..

-TG2

[Dragonman]

thaigene2. Section22 of the Consumer Protection Act 1979 covers False or exaggerated advertisements! They should not contain any statement taking unjust advantage of the consumer.

Now for the normal Thai get out "However if such statements are generally known by all that they definitely cannot be true, the statements will not be prohibited."

In other words if your going to lie, make it a big one.

[Heng]

Heng - I've never met a foreigner with Thai nationality, though I know a few 'permanent' residents and I think they are in the same boat as the rest of us.

-TG2

There's Christy and Jonas.

Maybe the ads are targeted towards Thai home buyers who often have farang guests over.